We decided it would be best to keep moving through the skies. It had been a few days, but we felt better out of the Earth Mother's reach than on her domain. After three days, Beverly started looking around along the edges. The daughter of Pluto seemed focused on the south, we could see storms in that direction, but they were stationary. I finally asked her what she was doing. Her answer was cryptic. "Legions, they're being let loose. A huge army. Can't you guys see the tendrils of darkness?" As far as we knew, Bill simply said the Nekromanteion was there. It was a temple to Hades, the Greek form of Beverly's father. Other than that, we didn't know anything.
Then, we had a line of darkness pass beneath the island. Heading in the direction of the army we had passed weeks before. "That's someone like me," Beverly said. "How do you now it's not a monster?" Loretta asked. Since we had begun our journey in the automaton island, Loretta and Beverly had begun to form a sisterly bond. This included teasing and helping each other. "Because I can sense them," she started saying. "That shadow is holding an insane amount of mass, almost too much. Only a child of the Underworld has that much control." On cue, a huge statue appeared in the distance. "Did that just appear out of nowhere?!" Lucy screamed. "You recognize it?" I asked. "Athena Parthenos, the lost statue of Athena from the Parthenon. That thing attracts and repels monsters, but it just showed up in the middle of the army we passed. Whoever brought it is in huge danger. I'll get Omoro and Jeremy to get us there now. Those demigods need help, but it's up to you Lucius."
"Full steam to their aid, we have to destroy and run as fast as possible. Especially since we still don't have full control." The entire time we've been on the automaton, Lucy has gone through various stages of shock. She wouldn't move for a day, then delegated Omoro and Jeremy to press buttons and pull switches for her. She still won't touch any parts of machinery she can see, which leaves her with very little she's able to do on board. With a lurch, we started on our way to the statue in the distance. Omoro ran up to me with a spyglass. "Thought it would do us some good to see who we're saving beforehand," she said with a smile. She gave me it, and I took a look. "Well, one's unconscious, and the others are a faun and... oh no," I was shocked. She couldn't be here. First the guys on the TV at the hotel, then this. How could our luck be so bad? Omoro was puzzled, "Why? Who is it?" She took the spyglass, and her face went ash white. "No. No no no no no. We have to leave. Get as far away as possible. She can't see me." Omoro was getting a wild look in her eyes. Like she was cornered, but I didn't know why. "Is something wrong?" I asked, concerned for my girlfriend for the first time in over a year. "Please, leave them. If you don't, we'll be treated like war criminals. According to her, deserters deserve death. And those who join the enemy are killed on sight." As she said this, Lucy came back. "I heard you, Omoro. Keep calm, you don't want to have a flare up. Plus, if she's here, she's also a deserter. So, she can't blame you. As for war criminals, if we save them, they can't attack us. Hospitality trumps vengeance a lot of times. Breathe Omoro, just breathe."
We were already near the statue. There was no turning back at this point. Lucy took Loretta to replace Omoro. We didn't need to risk an flare up in the control center. Seeing the group up close, I noticed they rigged the statue with a harness. It was tied to the unconscious demigod like a parachute. That could make it dangerous just to get the group out. The faun was doing his best to fight back against the onslaught of monsters using karate. The girl was using her pilum to force back the monsters. We would have been in this situation if we hadn't taken to the air. And then the cannons fired. The statue repelled them, causing more damage to the surrounding monsters. The two fighters looked up, finally seeing our ship. "THERE'S ANOTHER VALDEZ?!?!?!" the faun yelled. We shot three wires. One each for the demigod and faun, and another to lift the statue. "One more!" the demigod yelled. She was right, the statue needed another to balance it. "Aim at the arms!" I yelled to the control center. One more was fired, and all four were brought back, lifting the group and the statue away from the Earth Mother's hordes. "Skylar! Get a pegasi and help protect them from the griffins as they rise!" I yelled. Within seconds, our daughter of Aeolus was at their side. And within minutes, they were on board. Bill, Lucy, and I were standing before them. "Which one of you cupcakes made this thing?" the visibly old half goat asked with a grin. "We didn't make it. It was made by Vulcan, we just found it," Lucy answered.
Reyna was glaring at me. "I know you," she said. "Didn't you help us at Mt. Tam? How are you here?" she asked. Before I answered, she asked about Omoro. "Where is your friend? The one who couldn't control her powers, she deserves death for her actions against Rome. From what I remember, all of you do." Her eyes showed pain, but also pure anger. The faun cracked his knuckles, "So, we fight them? Good for me." Then the other one woke up, "No, they saved our lives. I need a few days before I'm ready to shadow travel again. So, Reyna, do not attack." Then he turned to me, "I'm Nico DiAngelo, the Son of Hades. I request to stay with you for three days. After that, we will leave without conflict." Then he turned to his group. "Reyna, Hedge, this is good. I don't know what's between you guys, but if we make it farther, I'll be happy to take that chance." Reyna was angry, but she put away her pilum. Hedge just looked sad. I guess this goat thrived on fights. "Request accepted. I will show you to your quarters, and Reyna asked about Omoro. She's doing fine, and she's better at controlling her powers. Right, Lucy?" I turned to the girl at my side. "Yes, she's much better," she said without emotion. I took the three travelers to quarters on the opposite side of the island. I thought it would be better for everyone to be separate. Sadly, we ran into the others leaving the control center. "Wait!' Reyna ordered. "How many demigods are here? This doesn't feel right to have such a large group, yet no monsters that can get near or sense this ship. Especially since those monsters couldn't even tell you were coming. Where did you "find" this ship?" She was confused, but it was natural. "When you get to your quarters, I'll answer all your questions. I'll also tell our stories, and why Camp Jupiter wouldn't work out for any of us." With that, we silently made our way to the guest quarters. "Here it is," I said as we reached the barracks we had seen we first arrived. "Now, please enlighten us," Reyna said with her arms crossed. "You'll want to sit down, this could take a while," I said as I entered the building. Once Nico was laying down on a bed, Hedge and Reyna sat down on their own beds, I began my own story. Once I got to my time at Camp Jupiter, Hedge decided to go out and eat some grass. Reyna listened, and when I told her my part in the battle of Mt Tamalpais, her face went from an angry expression to intrigued. "So you and this entire group helped us at that battle. Risked your lives to save Camp Jupiter, yet you knew you couldn't go back. Why?" She was still processing everything. "Because even though it wouldn't help us, I saw it helped so many others. Not a single person in my group is considered normal. I shouldn't be alive, and neither should Omoro or Bill. The rest would be outcasts among the demigods. Yet, we joined together. And now we're a family." She shook her head. "If we were at Camp Jupiter, this entire group would be executed for conspiracy, desertion, and so much more. I grew up with these rules. Yet, I did the same. I did it for love, too. So, I'll let this go. If I have learned anything from this war, it's to trust others." Her eyes were clouded, but I could tell her story wasn't ready to be shared.
"May I call some friends? I feel better with them." I was confused, but agreed. She whistled, and within seconds there were two dogs at the door. "Aurum, Argentum, say hello to Lucius," she said. The dogs only sat and grinned. "Loretta would love them. Shiny pets are her style," I said with a slight laugh. On cue, the little girl showed herself and pet the dogs. "I knew you were listening," I called out. Turning to Reyna, I asked what was on my mind. "Why is Omoro so terrified of you?" I asked. "She nearly went into shock when she saw you. I haven't seen her like that in over a year. And both times, it's been because of something you said." Reyna looked down. "That is the main reason your group would be killed on sight. Your girlfriend had a flare up in the Temple of Zeus. Thirteen prophecies were destroyed utterly. All of them etched in decades ago and lost to time. It's more than sacrilege to Romans. That's considered an act to the gods which deserves immediate and painful death. Just harboring her is considered aiding her. At the time, I had no filter. I went off. She ran away. Octavian, that wretch, he told the rest of the legion. Then the wipe happened, but only memories were removed. Not the actions or environment. She's wanted because Octavian wrote down what happened, and the Temple of Zeus confirms the action was done." She started to shake.
"Let me guess," I started, "Octavian has been making things worse. A lot worse. The scarecrow forced a war or something. And he caused the flare up in the first place?" I looked at her, but she kept shaking. "You let her in alone like Jason did with me, so whatever happened is the blonde augur's fault. When you return, deal the justice to him. As for me and my family, we'll never go back anyway. We've grown used to life like this. Anything from the past doesn't matter, it only matters what you do in response. I am the Son of Saturn, time itself was mine to control, but I chose to be more than a leader of monsters. I chose to have a family made of those I care about. We are no longer the Regiment. We are the Immortal Blood Family now. And as head, I look out for all of them. Omoro is still scared of you. So I want you to make it right. If we're wanted for what you say we are, when you get back let them know the truth. Octavian deserves his punishment." I turned to walk out. Reyna came out of her shock. "I owe all of you for saving Camp Jupiter. As praetor, I will make things right. You all are heroes, even if your, Omoro's, and Bill's parentage isn't something that should have happened. Yet, I would not be here but for your existence. And though I wish to remember your kindness, I have an impression saying that if I did, you're lives would be much worse." She said that last line with her face in shadow. As far as I knew, the Earth Mother saw us as potential recruits up until the centaur attack. Yet, I felt like Reyna had a point. We were doing great because of our potential. If this statue did attract and repel monsters, then the sooner Reyna left the better. Yet, I didn't want to wipe her mind. It didn't sit well. However, I might be able to make it seem like the next three days were different. Hiding the memories with another on top of them. Something she didn't want to remember.
"Reyna, I don't want to wipe your memories. Instead, I'll place something you don't want to remember. Something like you running away from monsters dragging Nico for three days. That way, you'll have them to cherish, but not know." She looked like she wanted a hug, and at the same time Nico piped up. "For a praetor that sounds like a disaster," he said with a laugh. "Put the same for me and Hedge. That way we believe it." Loretta ran in. In her hands she held a bunch of cups and a gallon of purple Kool Aid. Reyna looked at me. She knew who Loretta's brother was, but didn't know if it was safe to tell the young girl. "Loretta, do you remember a big brother?" Reyna asked. "Kind of," Loretta said. "Everytime I make Kool Aid, I remember someone telling me what to do, and how it's a family secret." Her face lit up while she asked, "Do you know someone like me?" Reyna was nearly in tears. "There's no one else like you. You just remind me of an friend." Loretta said thank you, then left.
Turning to me, Reyna asked, "Dakota's younger sibling, that's who she is, right?" I looked he run the eyes and told her Loretta's past. "I think she's more powerful than Dakota, too. She's capable of so much, and has battle lust when she's in combat. That Kool Aid seems to be the one thing they have in common. Although Loretta's not addicted." With Nico laying there, I felt inclined to mention Beverly. "Nico, you have a sister among us, too. She's been seeing weird stuff from the south for days. Then you guys showed up, is that tied to all that?" Nico's eyes snapped open. "You said sister, right? What's her name?" His voice showed extreme interest, despite his inability to move very well while laying. "Beverly," I answered him. "She's how we got to Albania in the first place. We shadow traveled to a nearby place from Mt Tam. All of us together. She's amazing at controlling the earth. Even made a giant ramp last week to keep us airborne."
Both of them looked puzzled. "How does a ramp keep you airborne?" Reyna finally asked. "We had some trouble with the controls at first. We nearly landed near a small village. Yet, Beverly, Skylar, Bill, and myself worked together to turn a landing into a skateboard trick and get us back in the air. Better than dealing with the Earth Goddess right now." They exchanged glances. "How do you know about Gaia?" Reyna asked hesitantly. "We fought her minions three times. Each time it took a team effort to deal with them. That and a forced sealing to keep them from coming back. You guys are on a quest for that, right? I mean it's obvious to me." Nico nodded at Reyna. She sighed, "We just left the House of Hades. Those tendrils were from the Doors of Death. And we're returning the statue to the Greeks. If we die, the world does as well. And the rest of the group is heading to Gaia's base of operations. That's the short answer." I looked at Reyna and Nico. "Sleep, after three days, you guys can go. As for Albania, I'll protect any other demigod I find. That's a promise." Then I did a Roman salute.
After that, I left them to their own devices. Everyone else did the same. We'd been isolated so long that just speaking with other people felt like talking with aliens. And once the three days we're up, I did as I said. One day, we'll be able to join other demigods. Just not today.